AN: Here we go guys, a little chapter summary for you here.
So now are heroes our in the thick of things. Lydia's missing, and Peter's up to his old tricks. It's up to the pack to play to their strengths to save their friend, and stop some old foes in the process.
Hope you guys like this one!
Chapter Ten- Does it Almost Feel Like You've Been Here Before?
"I seriously cannot believe you right now," Stiles seethed. "You just let her leave by herself?"
Derek was trying to stay calm, and remember that his soon to be brother-in-law was just upset. But Stiles was grating on his last nerve. "What would you have had me do? Tie her to the porch? In case you've forgotten, Lydia doesn't take direction from anyone."
"You could have gone with her. I mean seriously now many deaths have happened in these woods. You didn't think she may be needed some back up?"
Lynn came between them setting a hand on both of their shoulders until they calmed a little. "Stiles I get that you are upset right now, I am too. But you know this isn't Derek's fault."
He nodded settling back on the barstool. Derek took the opportunity to pull Lynn closer kissing her forehead. "She didn't even scream. If there was something after her she would have screamed, right?"
Cora and Isaac were out searching the woods to pick up any scent of Lydia's, while Scott went to meet up with Allison and her father over Gerard. Lydia had been out for a simple walk, but that was hours ago. None of them had heard from her all afternoon. Derek hadn't thought anything of it until Stiles came rushing in, complete distress on his features.
"What if she couldn't?" Lynn shrugged with a sigh. He saw her trying to hold it together. "What if she got grabbed before she could?"
"By who?" Derek asked as the back door swung open. Cora came in with a look of hesitation on her face. "Where's Isaac?"
"He went to go meet up with Scott and Allison, tell them what we found," She said, and Derek watched her eyes train on the floor. Whatever they found couldn't be good then.
"Just tell me what you found," Stiles stood moving closer to her. "Is she, did you find her at all?"
She shook her head finally meeting Stiles eyes. "Just her scent, it was strongest off in the east corner of the Preserve."
"Then what?" Stiles' heartbeat thudded louder than normal, and Derek had to wonder how the man wasn't crawling out of his own skin. "I mean she couldn't have disappeared."
"She didn't," Cora grabbed him by the shoulder leading him to a chair. Somehow his sister could get Stiles to calm down in ways the rest of them couldn't, except Scott and Lydia.
"If she didn't vanish what happened?"
"Isaac caught it first," she began looking over to Derek with sadness to her eyes. "Three other scents along with Lydia's. A male's we couldn't identify, it seemed to mingle with hers the most. Possibly he grabbed and carried her out."
"You said three," Derek noted taking a breath. "Who were the other two?"
"Malia, Isaac said he was sure of it," she paused biting her lip. "And Peter."
Derek saw the flair first, Stiles rising from the table and he had to leap past the girls to grab his arm.
"Let me go Derek," Stiles gritted out trying to yank his arm free. He met Derek's eyes with a blazing fire.
But Derek held him in place. "What are you gonna do Stiles, huh? You don't know where they are, or how to find them. I bet Peter found a way to cover their scent too."
"I can start somewhere," he nearly growled and Derek loosened his grip, but didn't let go. "Peter has her, which means he's gonna use her for something, we both know that."
"And I promise you we will figure it out and get her back," Derek lowered his voice trying to stay levelheaded. Not a strong suit when dealing with his uncle. "But running off without a plan isn't good for anyone, especially Lydia."
Stiles nodded, and he felt like that was enough of a reason to let his arm drop. It'd been too long since they all faced something as eminent as the life of one of their own hanging in the balance.
"What do you suggest then?" Stiles stepped back crossing his arms.
"You're the plan maker remember?" Derek shrugged. "You make the plan, and I'll personally tear Peter's head from his body."
Stiles smirked sticking out his hand. "Deal."
Derek shook it, and watched Lynn roll her eyes. He didn't like the idea of having to kill his uncle either, but sometimes the things we aren't comfortable with are the only way to handle it. He just hoped they could figure out what Peter's plan was before it was too late to stop him.
It hurt too much to move. She realized that first when she tried to bring her hands to her head and check the bump. But her hands were bound at her sides; with a thick rough cord that dug in deeper the more she tried to move. Lydia felt panic sweep through her, but she tried to push it away. If Peter hadn't killed her yet, he wouldn't do it until he got whatever he wanted from her. So she had time to find a way out, or at least a way to get a message to the pack.
She thought about screaming. It really was the fastest way to get to them, but it also had the biggest risk of backfiring. If they didn't get here in enough time, she would surely be killed, and she couldn't do that to Stiles.
She turned her head when she heard the clicking of heeled boots on the wooden stairs. Malia stared at her with a smirk.
"If you're supposed to keep me company," Lydia spoke managing a small hair toss. "I'd much sooner talk to the rodents who no doubt occupy this dump."
"Always so aggressive, even when you've been backed in a corner," Malia moved closer sliding a chair in front of her. "I wanted to talk to you."
Lydia smiled adding a glare. "About what? Hair and makeup tips? Or maybe we could discuss how you and your deranged sperm donor of a father have me bound in a dirty basement."
Lydia struggled against her restraints again, but of course they didn't budge. Malia's smirk fell as she leaned back in the chair. "I know you think I hate you, Lydia, but I don't. In fact I kinda envy you."
"How nice, maybe we can become bff's and braid each other's hair?" she sighed. "Forgive me for not appreciating the Misery-esque vibe we have here. But if you actually wanted to show me you aren't as crazy as Peter, you'd let me go. Or at least tell Scott and the other's where I am. Which is where exactly?"
"My father's basement," Malia replied. "Don't worry he's out of town on business for the next couple of days. But in all seriousness, I truly envy you."
"I'll bite, what for?"
Malia shrugged a sad look crossing her face. "You have your whole family Lydia. Your mom, dad, even your sister. You even have Stiles' family. And the pack, which is like a third family of its own piled on top there."
"Yes I have one big happy family," Lydia hissed annoyed at Malia already. "What's your point?"
"That's my point Lydia," Malia leaned in only a few inches from her face. "You have everything I don't, a huge support system. I would literally kill for a fraction of that."
"So this is all about your mom and your sister?"
Malia opened her mouth to speak again but another set of footsteps padded down the stairs, cutting her off.
"I thought I specified not to come down here and reveal the whole plan to her," Peter looked over to Lydia with a smile. "The less she knows the less chance she has of trying to stop us."
"You said the plan was foolproof," Malia growled, raising a brow to him. "That nothing could or would get in the way of things."
"No," he insisted, coming up behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I said 'if all goes according to plan that nothing would get in the way of things'. But telling one of the smartest pack members our endgame would not be going according to plan."
"Oh what you don't trust me? That hurts," Lydia replied smirking at him. "Maybe you're plan isn't so great if you think a girl tied to a support beam could unhinge the whole thing."
Peter chuckled kneeling in front of her. "But we both know you're not just any girl, Lydia. You're the queen of the pack. And I'm not about to tell my master plan to one of the only two people who actually has a chance of stopping it."
He pulled a roll of duct tape from behind him ripping off a piece. Before Lydia could even fight, it was covering her lips.
"Terribly sorry to do that," Peter said running a hand down her cheek. He was lucky he had covered her mouth, because she would have bit him. "Still can't have you calling the pack yet."
He stood to move away but Malia caught his arm. "What about our guest, I don't trust him to hold up his end of the deal."
"And you're smart not to," Peter replied eyeing the ceiling. "Hunters can't be trusted, but then again neither can I. He'll do his part, and before tomorrow is over everything will be done."
Malia looked doubtful, but Peter placed a kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry so much."
He left the same way he came, but Malia lingered glancing back at Lydia. She tried to plead with the coyote to let her go, to go to Stiles or Scott, but Lydia wasn't a telepath and even if she was, there was no guarantee she could get Malia to ever help her. She had to trust that the others knew she was missing, and that they could undo Peter's plans before they were complete.
Allison studied the article again trying to piece things together in her mind. Scott had another one, his eyes scanning over the words over and over again.
"I don't think it's gonna change," she said tossing hers down rubbing her neck. "They're just random news stories."
"If Gerard is working with Peter and Malia, the reason is in here," he replied passing another paper to Isaac. "We have to figure out what it is."
Isaac glanced at her with a shrug, looking over the papers in his hand. It was odd how much they could say to each other without any words at all. But she knew he was thinking what she was. That maybe their friend was grasping at straws.
Gerard was smart. He wouldn't leave a vital clue behind, unless he wanted it there. They were meant to find these, to play a role in their twisted game.
"I think I might have found something," her father's voice cut into her thoughts and she turned to face him. He was holding one of the papers from the wastebasket of Gerard's room. It was covered in thick black goo, most of the words illegible.
Scott had already moved to his side, study over his shoulder. "It's an article from the London Navigator's site. What does this have to do with the rest of this?"
"Maybe more than you think," Allison had set her stack down, as she leaned against the other side of the desk. "This one wasn't in view like the others. And he used it to wipe away the goo, tossed it. Maybe this can help us."
"It's an article about a murder, in a nature reserve," Scott pointed out with a sigh. "How is that going to help us find out why Peter has Lydia?"
"Maybe it has more to do with how Peter has Lydia," Chris noted leaning back a little. "This article says that 'local man, Whedon Davis, was found in the reserve with his head nearly severed from his body. Police have no leads on the type of weapon used, but sources say the wounds resembled that of animal claws'."
"Animal, like a wolf?" Isaac asked. Allison hadn't noticed he was standing until he was next to her.
"I'd venture to guess werewolf," Chris replied, glancing at them out of the corner of his eye. "I've heard of this guy. He had a large pack in the London area, took in omegas to keep them from attacking humans. Decent enough, for a werewolf."
They all shot him a look and he sighed. "You know what I mean."
"So what? Peter kills this alpha, and then comes home for vengeance?" Allison shook her head, as she bit her cheek nervously. "How's Gerard fit into that?"
"Maybe he figured it out? Blackmailed Peter for something?" Isaac ventured his hand ghosting closer to hers. Allison let a small smile slide to him.
Scott was shaking his head. "But if Peter's an alpha, why not just kill Gerard? There would be no reason to deal with him… unless."
"Unless, he had something Peter wanted," Chris finished, running a hand across his face. "So we need to figure out what Gerard could possibly know that would make him an asset to Peter's cause."
"I know where we should start," Allison looked at Scott, and felt Isaac straighten beside her. "If Peter killed an alpha in London, you know what that means."
"All roads lead back to Jackson," Scott growled. "He's not gonna talk to me again. Twice was pushing it. If I go in after him again, he's gonna see it as a challenge. And that won't end well for either of us."
"Well I wouldn't mind going after him." Isaac smirked looking to Allison. "Want to be my back up?"
She rolled her eyes, but pulled a blade from her back pocket, twirling it effortlessly. "Please, if anyone here is back up it's you."
She could almost feel her father and Scott roll their eyes, before Scott spoke again. "If you two could flirt while you question Jackson that would be more helpful."
She shot him a glare as she pulled Isaac along with her out the door.
"You think Jackson will be up for conversation?" Isaac asked when the elevator doors closed before them.
"Not likely," she still had the dagger in her hand, watching the glint of light off the side. "Then again, I don't plan on asking very nicely."